Charade

by Gilbert Morris

A beautiful woman. A savage betrayal. The perfect payback. But is revenge enough? Ollie Benson's computer program, Moviemaker.com, explodes onto the market, thrusting him into a world of glamour, fame, and fortune. He's extravagantly rich. But he's still obese and desperately miserable--until he meets a woman who loves him for who he is. Or so it seems. When the two people Ollie trusts the most betray him in brutal fashion, he constructs an elaborate plan for revenge. It's brilliant. It's perfect. There's just one glitch: Ollie is about to come face-to-face with the power of true, unconditional love. It could change his life. Or end it.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Suspense, Romance, Adult Fiction, Mystery

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

also published under the name Gilbert L. Morris

Gilbert Morris was one of today's best-known Christian novelists. He lived in Gulf Shores, Alabama, with his wife, Johnnie. He is the father to Lynn Morris and Alan Morris

Series:
* Adventures of Kerrigan Kids
* American Century
* Appomattox Saga
* Barney Buck
* Bonnets and Bugles
* Cheney Duvall, M.D. (with Lynn Morris)
* Cheney and Shiloh: The Inheritance (with Lynn Morris)
* Chronicles of the Golden Frontier
* The Creole (with Lynn Morris)
* Danielle Ross Mystery
* Daystar Voyages
* Dixie Morris Animal Adventures
* Far Fields (with Robert Funderburk)
* House of Winslow
* Jacques and Cleo: Cat Detectives
* Katy Steele Adventures (with Alan Morris)
* Lady Trent Mystery
* Liberty Bell
* Lions of Judah
* Lone Star Legacy
* Omega (with Lynn Morris and Alan Morris)
* The Price of Liberty (with Robert Funderburk)
* Reno Western Saga
* Seven Sleepers
* Seven Sleepers: The Lost Chronicles
* Singing River
* Spirit of Appalachia (with Aaron McCarver)
* Too Smart Jones
*

Reviews

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ollie Benson become very wealthy from selling a computer program. He is overweight and treated horribly by people he thought cared for him.

After he's left for dead, he decides to reinvent himself and plans payback.

He meets a couple who teach him God's Word. As he is changed from the inside out, he realizes vengeance is mine says the Lord.

The narration was pretty good by new to me author Morris.

[Dundee Library]

Once you start this book, you cannot put it down!
I have read many of Gilbert Morris' historical fiction novels, but this is a contemporary tale, and by far my favorite of his!
Ollie Benson has almost everything- a hit video game, all the money he could want, a mansion, and designer clothes. His problem? He's overweight. Extremely. He's given up on finding a woman who would except him, but when he meets someone he believes loves him, he's hooked. Unfortunately, everything he has he's about to lose.
Believed for dead, Ollie has the opportunity to carry out the biggest make-over ever and the perfect plan for revenge. But when more starts to change on the inside than the outside, will Ollie's hatred give way to something far greater?

[Kathleen Meacham · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Gilbert Morris book. Good pacing and interesting plot-line. Christian message - no swearing -- sexual inferences though. Quite funny at times. I will certainly read more from this author.

[LadyS · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, this book had a very interesting plot. It engaged me but crashed at the end. THe ending of this book was very poorly written and atrocious. I really felt the crash because the author gives you such high expectations for the book and then ends it so poorly it was laughable. Basically the main character wants to get revenge on the two individuals who betrayed him but he decided at the end not to turn them in because God changed his heart..how stupid..he rather lie than turn them in and the author justifies that?? Besides, the plan of salvation in this book was very much a lie. IN the end the main character and his ex wife pray the sinners prayer and think that they are saved. IF anyone knows anything about Christianity they will see that those who got saved according to the bible (including the disciples) were not saved by the sinners prayer but instead tarried for the holyghost and were all baptized.

[Pygmy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh boy, this was...I don't know. It was kind of lame, and not even in the ha-ha-Twilight-girly-schlock sense. Emotional handling was a bit unsubtle, the writing style was unrefined, lots of things were sort of hand-waved away...and yet...I read through every page of it. So something must have worked.

I gave it thumbs up for how the evangelism was worked in, all the way up until the end. Then it became the happy, sappy, fist of conversion with the tears and the bursting forth of goodness and holiness and it totally lost all credibility with me.

Of course, that's just me. If you had a dramatic, traumatic conversion to Christianity, this story may just speak to you.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Touching, Exciting Twists in Christian Fiction Genre

This is the first novel by Gilbert Morris that I have read that is not a part of a series. I so enjoyed this stand alone, Christian Fiction/ Mystery. The creative, unique twists in the plot kept me turning pages with piqued curiosity. The characters are relatively easy to relate to, and, although each character is facing their own unique circumstances, it was easy to keep up without getting lost in a myriad of an overabundance of characters involved in impertinent details. Summarily, the story flowed easily while maintaining a keen edge of excitement.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a Gilbert Morris fan from his House of Winslow series, and this stand-alone novel did not disappoint. It tells the story of a man set on revenge, but in the end, God brings redemption. The book reminded me that God can change anyone's life - no one is beyond His grace. While the story did move a little slow in the middle, the beginning and end were engaging. I definitely recommend it for anyone interested in reading an uplifting story about how God can truly change lives.

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my all-time favorite reads. I was captivated by the plot which, though it took a chapter to get into it, held me in suspence. Written in first person, it drew me into the character and then challenged my disposition. I read this book for the first time seven years ago, and re-read it twice since.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a good story & great plot but the main character took a long time to get to God. There was a little too much of the sinful stuff going on for most of the book. I get it but I don't want to read about it to that extent. Still one of my favorite authors.

[Ayla Stierwalt · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very slow little action. I did enjoy the story plot I do wish that there was more action in this story it could have made the story a lot better, this story dose have a wonderful ending to it. It is a nice surprise. There is not much to say about the book, other then I am glad to have it under my belt. It dose have a wonderful coming to Jesus .

Recommended to all.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was writing a review in my update and I guess that doesn’t work. Dane tells Ollie if he sells to the company outright he will loose a ton of money. Ollie listens to him and becomes a massive billionaire and starts living the life of the rich and famous. Ollie doesn’t like to be around people, but at a party a beautiful lady finds him in his computer room working on his latest project. Now remember he is obese. He has never been interested in women, but they talk and have so much in common. I could feel it building up for Ollie..don’t do it Ollie, but he ends up marrying her. I’m not half way done but I can’t tell more as I don’t want to give the story up. This is a 10 star book so far at 95 pages…in one evening which is a lot for me….READ it!

[Jraymond · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of Gilbert Morris' best books! I really enjoyed it. It was very different from his other books but I would highly recommend this stand alone novel.

[Destiny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christian author, very good!

[Linea Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

[Dale Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one my all time favorites. Full of suspense and anticipation. Couldn't put it down.

[Jeanne Modisett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy a book that is different. The whole theme of this book is fascinating. There is murder, love, radical change that makes it all together enjoyable.

[Katerbean98 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my second time reading this and I still enjoyed it immensely. I still say someone needs to make it into a movie!

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book began in a very interesting way. Obese Ollie creates a computer program that makes him millions. Along the way, he entrusts his career guidance to Dane, a highly successful agent I guess you could call him, and marries supermodel looking Marlene. Well, too no one's surprise, except Ollie's, Marlene and Dane were working together to steal all of Ollie's money. They both try to kill him and by one too many "lucky" moments, Ollie escapes - though badly injured.

Ok, so far I was like, poor Ollie. This sucks. Then Ollie is found dying in the woods by a elderly man, Eli, who lives in a cabin all by his lonesome. He takes Ollie (hauling him around in a fork lift type device) and nurtures him back to health at his cabin. Ollie regains his strength and also has lost about 80 lbs. He decides it's time for revenge on the two who have wronged him and leaves the cabin.

He goes to LA, under the new alias of Eli's dead son (long story there too) where he works with a trainer to get back in shape and changes everything about himself to an Australian business man. Luckily, Ollie had transferred money into a Swiss account before he was "killed" so he has the means to afford basically anything. He loses over 200 lbs and decides it's time to find Marlene and Dane. And I'm like, yes! What's he going to do???

Well, apparently nothing...because once he does find them, he also meets a family who "changes" his life and turns him into a man of God. Ollie realizes his actions for revenge are wrong and he turns to the Lord to sort everything out. Meanwhile, Marlene and Dane have figured out who he is and try to kill him yet again. Somehow, Marlene shoots Dane and then gets attacked by a hornet's nest - to which she's highly allergic. Marlene dies in the hospital, but not before she apologizes to Ollie and accepts God into her life at Ollie's guidance. Dane, also in the hospital, recovers from the shooting and Ollie also convinces him to accept God into his life and Dane does, asking for forgiveness and help.

Had I known that the last half of the book would be a sermon, I probably would have skipped it all together.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story. I liked Ollie and all he learned on the way.

[Paula Patterson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Charade is a book of revenge. Ollie Benson is an overweight introvert. He developed a computer program that made him millions. Trusting people is Ollie's downfall. Ollie spends a year plotting his revenge on those that hurt him and changing his appearance. Will he seek revenge on those that tried to destroy him or will he forgive them?
This book was a slow read for me. I had to make myself finish it. Having read several books by Gilbert Morris before, I was surprised that I found this a hard time reading this one.

[Johnna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst Christian book I've ever read (this is not a reflection on the genre!!).
This guy is an overweight computer programmer (and a good programmer to boot) but once he becomes a Christian, he loses about a thousand pounds , loses all interest in computers, and becomes a personal trainer. Seriously. Dunno about Mr Morris, but at my church we welcome and value the talents of all, including overweight computer programmers. I find the whole thing extremely unrealistic and a little offensive.

[Jennifer Suggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read. I didn't expect much from it but it contained two issues that are very close to my heart. Obesity and Lou Gehrigs disease. I wasn't expecting either of those and right away this book had my attention. Good story, great characters.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

One man, badly taken advantage of, remakes his life after being mistaken for dead. He's bent on revenge, but can he act upon it when he finds other reasons for living? This book is a great exploration of betrayal forgiveness, and new beginnings.

[joyce lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, it's NOT a "thriller", but it definitely had some twists and turns!

a very uplifting and hopeful book also, and inspiring. helps to never say "die"!

[Sharyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gilbert Morris is a great author of much more than stuffy historical novels.!!! this was my firwt book by him and since then I have read MANY more!

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the story to be ok but the circumstance unbelievable. There are just a few things that could/would not be real in this one. Was one of those "come to God" books.

[Hey_jude · Rating 2 out of 5]

Totally not what I was expecting.

[Julie Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent read. Well developed, and hard to put down.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very witty book. I love the concept behind it. Great character development. My whole family read it and loved it! Definitely recommend it.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written drama with a dash of romance and suspense.